


The Library

by Cila



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-03-30 03:07:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13941264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cila/pseuds/Cila
Summary: Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...





	1. One

### 1

Her hands caressed the pages as she read, a familiar, practiced movement over the worn tome. Every once in a while she would shift slightly and brush wispy tendrils of hair away from her face where they threatened to come between her eyes and the text. In the few months the library had been open Hermione had already chosen a favorite alcove and spent hours there every day. The librarians all knew her by name and shooed others away from the area when they saw her approaching the library door. If Hermione noticed that her spot was always open for her even on the most crowded days she made no sign of it. Her celebrity embarrassed her and the staff loved her all the more for her humility.

Draco had his own alcove. As the founder of the library, he allowed himself this small indulgence in his gift to the wizarding community. It was not sumptuous or decadent, but rather a private place to both work and relax. This space was guarded by more than librarians, however. Taking cues from the architecture of Hogwarts and from the baroque churches he’d visited with his parents in their travels, Draco designed his own personal space to be a stone alcove set into the wall that could only be reached through a hidden door. He could see and be seen as any other patron, but he would mostly be left alone.

When he first saw her enter the library he had been in this alcove. She had arrived for the grand opening with throngs of witches and wizards excited about this new addition to Diagon Alley, and had toured the building with a wonder in her eyes that made him swell with pride. His involvement in the library’s foundation had been all over the papers and still she came. With fascination he watched as she recovered from her initial awe and began scouting for the perfect place to sit. It took all his willpower to turn his attention away from her to instead allow himself to revel in the overwhelmingly positive response to his library.

 

***

 

Lucius and Narcissa had been pleased, but fear made them skeptical of their son’s plans. Even ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts they had not managed to fully recover their position in society and they worried about Draco putting himself in the line of fire of critics. They had tried to garner good faith by contributing to the restoration of Hogwarts and inviting the press to the Malfoy Manor to share the changes they were making to cleanse their home of dark magic and the influence of the Dark Lord, but no one was interested in listening to them. Their efforts managed to keep them out of Azkaban, but the damage was done and they had been socially cast out. Lucius and Narcissa had waited until their remodeling projects were complete before retiring to the seaside in France where they planned to live out their days in peace. Draco took over Malfoy Manor and the family’s finances with his parents’ trust and support, their hope that he would forge a better future for himself than what they had made for him through their mistakes guiding him forward.

 

***

 

The scratching of Hermione’s quill on a long roll of parchment was the only sound in the library. It was close to closing time and most of the wizarding community was out enjoying their Friday evening. Draco couldn’t tell if she had lost track of time or was simply disinterested in joining up with friends at a pub like everyone else. On late nights like these he fantasized about maybe going over and talking with her, but he could never bring himself to interrupt her focus. Since that first day he’d managed to convince himself that he was just grateful to her for accepting what he was trying to offer the community. His friends could give him all the knowing looks they wanted, but he ignored their insinuations.

“Hey mate, you coming out tonight?” Blaise had appeared in his alcove and the hand he clapped on Draco’s back pulled him sharply back to reality. Whatever grumpy remark he was about to make to his friend died on his lips as he realized what Blaise was wearing. “Come on, Draco! We’re doing muggle London tonight! Theo’s waiting outside.”

“What _is_ that?” Blaise looked ridiculous and Draco’s eyes danced with amusement. Blaise did a funny kind of pirouette so Draco could get a good look at him.

“It’s a vest. Muggles wear them all the time. I’ve got one for you too.” Blaise tossed the vest to Draco who caught it deftly, and warily started putting it on as he was led out of the alcove. Their conversation had caught Hermione’s attention and there was a moment when Draco could have sworn they made eye contact. He desperately hoped he looked graceful and debonair, but doubted that he did. He wished he hadn’t let Blaise coerce him into the strange clothes until he was out of her sight, but had little time to worry about it as Blaise maneuvered him out of the library. He casually tried to look her way again, but she was focused on her parchment and did not acknowledge his departure.

Theodore Nott was waiting outside and his face broke out into a ridiculous smile when he saw Draco emerge wearing the vest. Draco raised a questioning eyebrow that made Theo laugh. He pulled a flask from the pocket of his own vest and offered it to Draco and Blaise who took turns taking swigs while Theo outlined the evening’s plans to go out and ask for numbers from muggle women. Blaise couldn’t understand what the numbers were for and Theo started to explain before Draco put a hand up to stop him.

“Just show us, Theo. No reason to stand here talking about it.” Theo saluted and they followed him through the busy London streets to an elegant cocktail lounge with no name on the door. A waitress greeted them and led them to a low table surrounded by comfortable chairs where she left them with menus and a promise to return shortly to take their order.

The names of the drinks and their ingredients were foreign to Draco. Theo and Blaise read every word they didn’t understand as if it was a private joke and Draco began to suspect from their giggling that they had been taking pulls from the flask long before they got him out of the library. When the waitress returned Blaise ordered the first drink on the menu and Theo leaned in and asked her to surprise him. A smile played at the corner of her mouth and Draco sat up a little straighter and politely asked for the _Chataeu Delacour_ , a familiar red wine he was a more than a little relieved to see on a muggle menu.

“Lighten up, mate! We’re here to have fun.” Blaise leaned back and spread his arms over the back of the seat, his relaxed pose in stark contrast to Draco’s rigid discomfort. Theo put a comforting hand on Draco’s shoulder.

“No one is going to recognize you here. It’s okay.” He gave Draco’s shoulder a squeeze and Draco relaxed a fraction. Maybe his friends were right. He’d been on edge since the library opened, constant anxiety about public perception coloring his thoughts and behavior for months. He supposed he could allow himself a little celebration.

Drinks arrived and Draco allowed himself to sink into the comfort of the chair with his glass of wine. Theo and Blaise made him try their drinks, explaining it was part of the adventure to try new things. He had to admit they weren’t half bad and was persuaded to try something more “festive,” as Theo put it, for his next drink.

Blaise told them stories about his work in the legal branch of the Ministry, Theo complained about the lack of attractive witches at Gringotts - “it isn’t all goblins. There are other cursebreakers but they’re all blokes!” - and Draco sat back and allowed the normalcy of it all to wash over him. How long had it been since they had gone out like this? Years? Maybe it was the fine wine and whatever the other two festive cocktails were that Theo had ordered for him, but Draco was feeling warm and happy for the first time in a long time.

***

Draco swirled the ice in his glass lazily with his pinky, sighing as he gazed into it. Theo and Blaise shared a look which, had Draco been paying attention, he would have found suspicious. Both moved in a little closer to him, effectively sandwiching him into his seat and preventing his escape. 

“Mate, are you going to tell us what’s going on? You’ve been a tense mess and you never leave that accursed library. Everyone likes it! Now is the perfect time to get out of that stuffy corner and live your life.”

“It’s true,” Theo added with a little more kindness in his tone, “tonight you’re going to find yourself some gorgeous girl and shag her senseless. There’s a brunette at the end of the bar there who’s been watching you all night. Go ask for her number.” Draco lifted his gaze hopefully to see the girl. She made eye contact and smiled, but he couldn’t bring himself to smile back.

“It’s not her. She would never notice me.” His friends exchanged another look and Blaise shrugged.

“What are you talking about, you daft idiot? She’s looking at you now and batting her eyes. All you have to do is walk over there. Theo, do you think our friend here is pining over some witch?”

“You mean some other witch who isn’t doing the noticing?”

“Or maybe the poor bloke’s had too much to drink.” Draco sighed deeply at his now empty glass while Theo and Blaise got the bill. “He definitely had too much to drink,” Blaise said after looking over the itemized receipt. 

“The plan was get Draco drunk and make sure he doesn’t go home alone, not get Draco so drunk he  _ can’t _ get home on his own. We should have been much more specific in our plan.”

“Theo, I’m fine. Blaise, don’t you worry about me either okay,” Draco slurred. “You guys said get a number, right? All I have to do is ask for a number. She can pick one. I don’t get it, but that’s why we came out yeah?” Draco stood and steadied himself. Even inebriated he succeeded in gliding gracefully across the room to ask the girl for a number. Theo and Blaise stared open-mouthed as he came back with a cocktail napkin and waved it in front of them. “I asked for one number and she gave me nine! And told me to use them! Mission accomplished, boys! Let’s go dancing!” He threw down a handful of galleons which Theo quickly swept up and replaced with a generous amount of muggle money. Theo managed to turn and wink at their waitress who smiled back before he followed Draco and Blaise back out into the street. 

“All right, you drunk idiot, where to?” Draco had managed to escape Blaise’s attempts to help him out the door and was skipping ahead of them with the insane joy and energy only an entire night of drinking could induce. Draco was distracted by a small group of people walking past. They were talking and laughing and Blaise and Theo didn’t realize why they seemed so oddly familiar until it was too late.

“Bit late to be out and about, isn’t it Mr. Malfoy?” Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood together in the soft glow of the streetlamp above. Ron and Ginny were standing behind Harry and all three clearly had their hands on their wands under their jackets. 

“Just out for a summery evening stroll here, same as you,” Blaise tried to pull Draco back. He had become a little more physically subdued, but there was mischief in his eyes that did not bode well for a late night encounter with four very sober witches and wizards looking at him with hatred. Theo and Blaise held Draco between them and slipped his wand out from his pocket so he couldn’t get himself into trouble. Harry and Ron noticed and relaxed a little.

“Is he okay?” With Draco disarmed and trapped between his friends, Hermione stepped forward and concern tinged her voice.

“Worried about me, Miss Granger?” Draco asked softly. Theo and Blaise gripped him tighter and tried to turn him around to walk away, but they struggled to move him as he seemed to have rooted himself to where he stood.

“Draco here had a few too many drinks and we’re just getting him home,” Blaise said apologetically. Draco opened his mouth to say something more to Hermione, but Blaise elbowed him in the ribs. Caught by surprise, the words died on his lips. “Time to go, old chap!” Blaise ignored the fire in Draco’s eyes at his interruption and together with Theo dragged Draco away from danger. Ginny still looked ready to hex them and Blaise didn’t trust Draco not to say or do something stupid.

The rest of the walk back to Draco’s nearby flat was quiet and uneventful. Theo and Blaise tried to wheedle some kind of explanation out of him, but Draco didn’t seem to hear them. He just looked thoughtful and sad as they carried up up the stairs and landed him safely onto his couch. Theo brought him a blanket and a pillow and Blaise made sure he knew there was a glass of water on the table for him. Draco could hear their concerned voices talking over him before they eventually left and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. 

 


	2. The Best Hangover Remedy Galleons Can't Buy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...

### 2

The next day was Saturday, Draco’s favorite day. Saturdays were when Hermione showed up to the library early and stayed there from open to close reading and filling parchment after parchment with her neat and detailed notes. Draco liked to try catching glimpses of the books she was reading to see if he could understand what she was researching, but arithmancy and alchemy had never been his strongest subjects. He’d done well enough at Hogwarts, but these texts were much more advanced. Not that he would have expected anything different, but he couldn’t think of a better way to approach her that wasn’t small talk about what she was reading. “Hi, remember me? You were tortured at my manor last time we were this close” just didn’t seem like the best way to open a conversation.

He drank the water Blaise had left for him and got ready as quickly as his raging headache would allow. He wasn’t certain he remembered all of the night before - a suspicion confirmed by the cocktail napkin he found in his pocket with cryptic numbers on it. He prodded it with his wand, but nothing happened. After a refreshing shower and a clean set of clothes, Draco slipped the napkin into his jacket pocket and made his way to the library. At this point it was routine rather than hope that moved him this morning to go sit in his alcove.

A couple of hours passed and all he could do was hold his head in his hands in agony. Leaving his flat without dealing with his hangover had not been the wisest choice, but he had convinced himself that the best time to try and catch her eye was when she arrived and arranging her space. Those minutes before she lost herself in a book were his window of opportunity for a brief moment of eye contact and recognition. Maybe today she would notice him.

She didn’t.

Hermione had arrived and immediately set to work writing. Draco groaned inwardly at his own foolishness and leaned back in his chair, his forearm thrown over his eyes to block out painful light.

A paper airplane gently nudged at his cheek. He swatted at it and managed to catch it before it fell to the ground.

 

_Are you all right? You seemed out of sorts last night. Not that it’s my business or anything, but you should probably thank Mr. Zabini and Mr. Nott for taking you away when they did. You narrowly escaped some hexes._

_-H. Granger_

 

Draco blinked at the note and looked up. Hermione was smiling at him and waving sheepishly. Thoughts spinning, he waved back. A wave of panic engulfed him as he realized he couldn’t remember seeing her. How could he forget something like that? He must have been in a right state if she was writing notes to him about it. She was still watching him as he scribbled a reply and he could feel the back of his neck burning.

 

_Just hungover. I’m sure Blaise and Theo were responsible for whatever trouble I found myself in, but I unfortunately cannot recall the encounter - a function of their earlier “assistance” as they plied me with drinks. I hope it wasn’t too horrible for you._

_-D. Malfoy_

 

He sent another airplane back which Hermione received with a grin.

 

_Glad you’re alright. Everyone escaped unscathed, so no harm done. Take care of yourself out there!_

_-H. Granger_

 

He smiled and as soon as he was sure she was fully immersed in her book he looked dumbfoundedly at the two notes in his hands. Two notes. From her. Wishing him well. His head was spinning and it wasn’t all to do with the hangover. He tried to think of something to write to keep the conversation going. Something casual and interesting to pique her interest. But nothing came to him and instead he spent the next hour cursing himself for not even being able to remember seeing her. When he looked up again it was lunchtime and she was gone. He sat back feeling dejected at missing what he suspected might be his only chance to talk to her when he heard her calling out to him.

“Come on, Malfoy. Come down from your tower. I’m taking you to lunch.” This was real! This was his moment! He really needed to think of something suave to say quickly!

“Oh. Okay. Be right there.” _Smooth. At least she won’t think I’m desperate. I mean, I am… but she doesn’t need to know that_. He pulled on his jacket quickly and with a quick wave of his wand the crumpled up bit of paper with the drafts of his notes flew into the waste bin. He hid the ones she had written in the book he was reading and slipped it into his private shelf so it wouldn’t get tidied up and put away. She was waiting with her back to the hidden passage as he emerged. He cleared his throat to get her attention and she whirled around and faced him.

“You look like death and I have just the place for a hangover remedy.” He nodded, uncertain of how much he dared to read into her invitation.

“Why?” He mentally kicked himself that one word was all he could manage. She brushed off his question with a shrug that seemed to say “why not?” He nodded again and she beckoned for him to followed her. He was close enough to touch her. She was letting him be close to her. Was this a date?

He trailed behind her a few steps as they left Diagon Alley and entered muggle London. She shot a quizzical glance over her shoulder, but made no comment about the distance between them. Draco was just starting to feel he could follow her like this forever were Hermione to allow it when she turned a corner and led him down a very quiet little street to a pub that Draco was certain no self-respecting witch or wizard should enter.

“I love this place, but I hate coming alone,” she confided in him quietly as they sat down at a grubby booth in the corner.

“I’m not certain if I’m in any shape to be your bodyguard, Miss Granger,” Draco said biting his lip. The pounding in his head had not been a feature in any of his daydreams and he had no idea what to do or say to her. She just laughed.

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to order for us.” Draco watched her chat with the bartender who nodded and shouted something unintelligible into the kitchen behind him. Hermione returned as if this whole outing was completely normal. Before Draco had a chance to break the silence the bartender arrived with a red drink with more garnishes than drink and left it in front of him.

“What is this?” he asked, barely disguising the disgust in his tone.

“Bloody Mary. Drink it. I promise it will make you feel better.”

“What’s in it?” He prodded some of the celery sticking out of it and she laughed. What a beautiful sound.

“Just drink it, Malfoy. I’m not trying to poison you.”

“Why not?” She shrugged and smiled. He raised the glass to his lips and took a sip. “Eugh! Maybe I would rather you poisoned me!”

“Go on, drink up!” She sounded so damned cheerful and he obediently did as she asked.

Two giant plates of curry arrived as he was choking down the last of the drink. As he took the first bite he realized that this was exactly what his poor body needed. He ate with relish and her eyes sparkled as she watched him. He felt like a hungry man given nourishment in more ways than one as he sat across from her.

“Thank you, Granger. I didn’t realize I needed this.”

“It’s nothing. I suppose I wanted to thank you as well.”

“For what?”

“Opening the library.”

“Oh. Of course. You’re welcome.” Could she have known he did it for her?

“I am always happiest in a library. After Hogwarts I tried doing my research in coffee shops and parks, but people always bother me there. There’s always some bloke who wants to know what I’m reading or someone getting frustrated that I’ve taken up a table for too long and let my single cup of tea get cold.” Draco nodded, pulling himself a little straighter and feeling a little pride in his ability to hold back his desire to ask her what she was reading every single day she was there.

“You were always in the library at Hogwarts,” he said simply. He hoped she wouldn’t read anything into what he said. Then again, he hoped she would.

“So were you.” She smiled again and he knew his cheeks had turned pink and betrayed him. She had watched him too, then.

“No one bothered me at the library. No one watching over my shoulder or pushing me into anything.” It was as close to an apology as he could bring himself to make to her for everything he had done. She seemed to understand. Of course she did. She was brilliant.

Silence hung between them, but it was not awkward or uncomfortable. Draco could feel his heart racing as she looked at him thoughtfully. He couldn’t meet her eyes, shame and regret coursing through him and beginning the vicious cycle of mental self-flagellation.

“You’ve changed a lot since those days,” she finally said.

“Have I?” She’d said he looked like death earlier. Maybe she was just seeing if he acted like it. Or like a death eater.

“You’re here having lunch with me, for one.”

“I suppose I am. This must be a dream then.” Oh, how he hoped she wouldn’t read into that! Or maybe that she would! He cleared his throat again and quickly changed the subject. He asked about her work and she launched into a complicated explanation of her studies and her research for the Ministry. Her hands moved quickly as they drew out the equations she described that she was working on and he was mesmerized. She seemed happy to be discussing her work with such a rapt audience, even if he hadn’t signalled that he understood any of it. Draco had a sneaking suspicion that Potter and Weasley weren’t exactly interested in any of this. _Wankers_ , he thought.

A couple of hours passed of chatting and finally Hermione suggested they should be getting back. She paid for lunch which Draco couldn’t argue because he didn’t have any muggle money with him. Was that a twinkle in her eye when she said he could pay next time? _Next time!_ Draco filed the thought away for later. He didn’t think he could hold back his glee at the prospect of a next time if he allowed himself to think about it now.

As they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron she waited for him every time he started falling too far behind.

“Aren’t you..” Draco couldn’t believe he was asking this, but he couldn’t hold in the question any longer. “Aren’t you afraid of being seen with me?” She paused at the corner and chewed on her lip thoughtfully as they waited to cross the street.

“No. Like I said, you’ve changed. I suppose I didn’t realize it until we ran into you last night. You asked if I was worried about you and it got me thinking.” Draco stepped a little closer. He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes. Time stopped around them and all Draco could hear was the demanding rhythm of his quickened pulse. Did her eyes flicker to his lips?

Suddenly the crowd around them surged and the moment ended. The lights had changed and the muggles were crossing the street. Draco and Hermione were swept up with the crowd and pushed closer together.

“Everyone seems to be in a hurry!”

“They’re getting back to work after lunch,” She called back over the din of what seemed like a thousand feet marching around them.

They emerged from the tide of people and Hermione made a show of brushing herself off and straightening her dress to make him laugh.

“You should get home and sleep off the rest of that hangover, Malfoy. I’m sure your work can wait.” He sighed deeply.

“You may be right. Thank you, Granger.” She gave him an amused look that he read very clearly to mean “Of course I am” before turning and leaving him standing outside the Leaky Cauldron alone. She turned and waved before going inside and passing through to Diagon Alley. He waved back, but she was already gone.

 

* * *

 

_A/N: Thank you all for commenting and leaving kudos! I'm overwhelmed by the positive reception this has received! It's been years since I wrote anything and it's so lovely to be back. I meant to post much more regularly, but here we are and the next chapter is in the works. Thank you for joining me in this adventure._

_-Cila_

 


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...

###  3

Draco’s flat felt empty and cold after an hour with Hermione at the pub. His mother had balked at how sparse it was when he’d moved out of Malfoy Manor, but had surprised him quickly dropping the subject. This small set of rooms was part of his personal penance - a cell of his own making. Narcissa understood very well that this was just something he needed to do. She knew he would allow himself more luxury and comfort when he felt he was ready and deserving. Until then he would cloister himself within four bare walls with his remorse and regret as company. 

He glared at the hard couch. Hermione would never be comfortable in this flat. She was all warmth and light. Without thinking about it, Draco had waved his wand and transfigured the couch into something bigger and more comfortable. The austere couch was transformed from its sensible grey to a rich green and black velvet damask. Mahogany filigree decorated the back and its corners rounded as the cushions filled and re-shaped themselves. Head still pounding from his hangover, Draco collapsed onto them and drifted into dreamless sleep. 

Hours later, Draco awoke feeling more rested and relaxed than he had in years. He ran his hand absentmindedly over the soft cushions and with eyes still closed, he allowed his imagination to place Hermione there with him. A smile would tug at the corner of her mouth as she read something funny in the novel she propped on the armrest. A knock at the door dissolved the fragile picture in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to bring her back, but the knocking became more insistent and impossible to ignore.

“Just a moment,” he grumbled. He spent a little extra time in front of the hall mirror making sure he looked composed after his nap. Whoever was rude enough to arrive unannounced could wait a little longer. He opened the door only to find the last person in the world he would have expected at his door standing beyond the threshold. 

“Potter!” He said in surprise. Harry looked angry and Draco searched his mind for a reason why. Nothing filled in the blank. “Can I help you?” Harry pushed past him into the apartment and stopped in the middle of the room as he took everything in.

“You live here?” He seemed suddenly more confused than angry. 

“I’m certain you did not come all this way to ask me that, Potter,” Draco said smoothly, closing the door and following Harry into the flat. He sat on the couch and did his best to look bored. His behavior rekindled the spark of anger Harry had brought with him and he started pacing as he found his words and remembered his purpose.

“I don’t know who you think you are, Malfoy, but you’d better stay away from Hermione. I don’t know what your angle is, but I’m warning you,” he stopped pacing and pointing a menacing finger between Draco’s eyes, “one toe out of line and you’re going to regret the day you were born.” Panic and hope surged in Draco and only his practice as an Occlumens allowed him to maintain his composure. He sighed and with a gesture invited Harry to take a seat in the square armchair that had previously matched the couch. Harry seated himself somewhat awkwardly, the discomfort of the chair compromising his menacing attitude somewhat.

“Harry Potter, how you found this place is a question I will ask you to address in a moment. First - what are you doing here? It’s been 10 years and all I’ve heard from you is what I see in the  _ Prophet _ . Now you try to knock down my door and threaten me about something to do with Ms. Granger. Or is it Mrs. Weasley?” He paused, hoping that the moment of silence would convey cool politeness rather than any emotional investment in the clarification. “Could you please explain what’s going on?” Harry visibly bristled. The easy grace and apparent disinterest he read in Malfoy’s speech and manner only fueled his rage.

“If you’ve been following the  _ Prophet _ you already know it’s not ‘Weasley.’ And by the way, everyone in the Ministry knows where you live. It’s not exactly a big secret. We keep a close eye on ex-Death Eaters, so I don’t know what game you think you’re playing, but leave Hermione out of it. She’s been through enough.” Draco stood and moved to open the door, signalling as graciously as he could that it was time for Harry to leave.

“There is no game, Potter. If she chooses to fraternize with me, that is very much up to her. I am trying to live in peace, just as you are.” Harry stood, but did not move to the open door.

“Promise me you’ll stay away from her, Malfoy. You’re just going to hurt her.”

“It is not my intent to cause Ms. Granger any pain.”

“Promise me.” Draco’s eyes flickered between Harry and the still-open door, trying to communicate that he had worn out his invitation.

“I promise you I will not hurt Hermione Granger.” 

“I will hold you to that,” Harry said with a confident smile. He marched to the open door and Draco closed it behind him. The fool thought he’d won something, but all he had really done was add fuel to the fire burning in Draco’s heart. Draco stood still at the door for a few minutes, waiting to make sure Harry had really gone before practically skipping to his tiny kitchen to fix a cup of tea. Harry’s visit was entirely unwelcome, but had left Draco with tidbits of information that filled his mind and his heart with hope.

Hermione must have said something about him. A warm word about Draco Malfoy that Harry thought was significant enough to track down his flat and confront him. Harry Potter had cared enough about meeting Draco in person that he had discovered his address outside of Malfoy Manor to point an accusatory finger at him about something that hadn’t happened yet. That he came all the way out here rather than simply talk to Hermione about his concerns made it clear to Draco that Harry was afraid he might not be able to influence her. Draco caught the reflection of his own silly smile in the round teapot and laughed at himself. He felt almost giddy. Harry could never have imagined that Draco would find a glimmer of wonderful possibility in his threats, but Harry Potter had never been known for his ability to bluff. 

 

***

 

Blaise arrived at the door of Draco’s flat at 5. He looked disheveled and annoyed at Draco’s absurd cheeriness as he passed through the threshold.

“You weren’t at your blasted library and I thought something serious had happened to you,” he said accusatorily. His eyes fell on the transfigured couch and he stopped dead, looking uncertainly between Draco’s toothy smile and the luxurious piece of furniture. He quickly decided both were out of place and dragged Draco by the arm to the tiny kitchen table where he pushed his friend into a chair before sitting across from him with steepled hands and a severe expression. “Have you been hexed? You look like you’re under the imperius curse and there’s a green velvet thing in the middle of the room that wasn’t there last time I was here. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, Blaise. The old couch was so uncomfortable that I updated it a bit. Nothing to worry about at all.” Blaise crossed his arms and leaned back, his eyebrow quirked in skepticism. 

“Mate, you’ve been living like a Spartan for years and suddenly today you realize it’s  _ uncomfortable _ ?”

“Spartan? You sound like a muggle.”

“Don’t change the subject, Malfoy. What’s with you? You look like you’re posing for  _ Witch Weekly’s  _ Most Charming Smile award.”

“You think my smile is the most charming?”

“Draco…” Blaise’s warning tone had the desired effect. Draco sighed and rose to pour Blaise a cup of tea.

“Sorry, mate. I’m not sure if it’s anything, but it could be something. It’s already more than I thought I deserved and today has been full of enlightening conversations that make me think it could be everything I’d hoped for.”

“Vague,” Blaise commented simply as he accepted the tea Draco handed him.

“I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Superstitious.”

“Maybe.”

“Anything to do with a certain someone you may have let slip hasn’t been noticing you?” Draco took in a long breath and considered his friend before answering with a small nod. A triumphant smile settled on Blaise’s face and he relaxed. Draco’s self-imposed exile had long been a subject of concern for both him and Theo. The wizarding world had not been kind to the Malfoy family, but Draco’s efforts to redeem himself and atone for his misdeeds had not gone unnoticed these past ten years. If something had happened and Draco was feeling this genuinely good about himself - enough so that he was starting to make changes turning his space into a home rather than a cell - then this was worth investigating. Blaise tried a few different angles in his questioning to find out what enlightening visits Draco had enjoyed so much, but Draco’s guard was back up and he was too skilled an Occlumens to share more than he wanted.

“Fine, keep your secrets,” Blaise said with mischief in his eyes. “Do I at least get a clue?” Draco made a show of thinking of what to share. Blaise rolled his eyes, but waited patiently. Draco was always happiest when his friends indulged in his theatrics. 

“I have to find out how she feels first. I don’t want you getting in the way by trying to he helpful or something equally daft.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for waiting so patiently! I was hoping that I could make this chapter a little longer for you, but the writing that came next worked better as chapter 4 than an extension of this one. Enjoy!


	4. Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...

###  4

Draco returned to the library with a spring in his step the next morning. He considered leaving flowers on her work table with a note thanking her for lunch, but as the clock ticked the hours away reality began to set in and his grand ideas withered. She was not coming to the library today. She had spent a day in his company and then she had not returned. The thought that he might be reading too much into her attentions depressed him, but her kindness and generosity towards everyone was part of the reason he was so enchanted with her. The hours she spent with him very probably did not mean the same to her as they did to him. He was likely more amenable to her company than many of the house elves she tried to free, but in her eyes he knew he was just their equal. Another pitiable soul to save.

By the end of the day his heart ached with the painful weight of a love unrequited. Since the war Draco was acutely aware that the only thing special about him was the amount of work he had to do to be treated with the ordinary decency other wizards enjoyed without realizing it. His fortune made broad charitable gestures easier, but also meant that the wizarding world expected them from him. Hermione Granger taking him out to lunch was wonderful, but maybe not something he should read into. He couldn’t afford to be anything but realistic about this. She was simply a really good person. To everyone.

Days passed. Draco tried to distract himself with reading and work, but her absence felt like a black hole drawing him in. He couldn’t stop looking to where she normally sat. Other witches and wizards sometimes took up the space, his heart sinking slightly every time it wasn’t her. Draco began to spiral. Theo stopped by and looked concerned, but didn’t know what to say. 

 

***

 

Three weeks into Draco’s strange depression, and finally Blaise couldn’t watch silently any longer.

“Malfoy, pull yourself together. Is this over that brunette? She finally tell you you’re a creep and she’s not interested?”

“I wish. She’s just gone. I don’t know what I did wrong.”

“So you got your hopes up. Big deal. You’ve spent too much time dwelling on this. Theo and I are taking you on holiday! South of France! We’ve got a muggle hotel room with your name on it and a new pair of swimming trunks. This place is driving you insane - you  _ have _ to go outside now.” Draco tried to protest, but Blaise would hear none of it. 

The next day Theo picked them both up in a muggle car with suave sunglasses and a tux. The Nott elders had been convicted for their acts as Death Eaters in the trials following the Battle of Hogwarts, but Theo’s clear affection for muggles kept him out of Azkaban. Now that his parents were imprisoned, Theo had been free to indulge himself in a mostly muggle lifestyle that he loved. Recently he’d started watching films, his favorites all featuring the MI6 Agent James Bond, after whom he had modeled his entire appearance. Draco groaned when he saw Theo. The “look” might have read as dashing adventurer to Theo, but Draco just saw trouble and an imminent hangover. Blaise looked a little apprehensive as he opened the passenger side door and settled into the seat next to Theo, but he kept his mouth shut and shook his head vigorously at Draco to avoid saying anything. Maybe if they ignored Theo’s absurdity today he would drop it and they would have a relaxing trip. Draco grumbled as he slid into the back seat of the convertible, but managed to keep his mouth shut.

 

The first hour of the drive was uneventful. Theo had Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans in the glovebox and they passed those around.

The second hour started to get dull and Theo tried to keep them entertained by telling them - in great detail - all about the Bond movies he’d been watching.

The third hour was when Blaise snapped and started complaining about being stuck in this muggle box for the rest of his life.

The fourth hour was when Draco started wondering aloud exactly how long until they arrived at the house Theo had rented for them. Theo cheerfully informed them that they were not yet halfway there and would be stopping for the night when they reached Paris “soon.”

The fifth hour was when Draco started thinking that Blaise might be correct in worrying that they would die in this car. Theo was passing the muggle cars alongside them at high speeds and kept narrowly avoiding collisions. “Oops! That one was close!” These narrow misses increased once Draco started recognizing his surroundings. His childhood visits to Paris had been few, but memories of those happy times with his parents started to seep back as they careened through familiar streets. Theo’s enthusiasm possibly made him a worse driver, but the car had been spelled so that actually hitting things was less of a concern for the most part. Driving around the city with people jumping out of the way was disconcerting, but the car was still pristine and the unsuspecting locals still unharmed when they arrived at Hôtel Plaza Athénée. 

Theo checked them in still wearing his sunglasses. He had long since realized that a wizard with no knowledge of muggle life would simply pass for “eccentric” if he were to wave enough money around and though he tried his best to blend in he was happy enough to let his wealth smooth over the remaining cultural differences. Blaise and Draco hung back and enjoyed their freedom from the car by exploring the very plush cocktail lounge, Le Bar. 

The lounge was close to empty. A few people sat near the bar and there was a couple nestled into a corner that briefly brought a lump to Draco’s throat. Watching other people be in love was not exactly helping to distract from the feelings that had caused the need for this trip in the first place. He turned from them and opened his mouth to say something to Blaise, but stopped dead, his mouth open. Blaise noticed the silent shock and followed Draco’s gaze.

“Oh! Isn’t that Hermione Granger?” Draco nodded slowly, finally remembering to close his mouth. “You okay, mate? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Draco nodded again, not trusting himself to speak. Looking between Hermione sitting on a couch reading a newspaper and Draco’s stunned face, he finally put two and two together. He reached out and pulled Draco by the elbow to a corner table out of Hermione’s sightline. “It’s her, isn’t it?” Draco nodded again, looking pained at the admission. He expected Blaise to start making fun of him, but he didn’t. Instead, Blaise leaned back and crossed his arms with his brow furrowed thoughtfully. 

Theo found them a moment later and excitedly started shoving room keys into their hands as he loudly explained their evening’s itinerary. Blaise tried to gesture him to keep quiet and not draw attention to them, but Theo wasn’t paying attention. Finally, Blaise grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a seat. 

“Read the room, Theo. There’s been a new development.” Theo was immediately interested. He leaned in and made a show of looking around the room as he’d seen Bond do in the films. 

“Tell me. Are there threats here?”

“No, you idiot. It’s Hermione Granger.”

“Her? What about her?

“She’s here.”

“So? We’re not doing anything wrong.” 

“No, man...it’s… _ her _ .” Blaise gestured to Draco whose expression remained stony. 

“Her? Oh!  _ Her _ ! Wait, really?” Theo was catching up more slowly and with less grace than Blaise. Draco avoided saying anything at all, choosing instead of be mortified in silence at the turn their day had taken. 

Theo started leaning more heavily into his 007 role and was making a show of stretching as nonchalantly as he could to get a better look at Hermione who was still immersed in her paper. To Draco’s dismay, Theo started whispering his observations to them.

“Late 20’s female brunette sitting alone reading a newspaper. She’s well dressed, but clearly not a regular here. Now she’s checking her watch. She’s looked up. There’s someone coming towards her. Wait, he looks familiar. Draco, he’s got your color hair. Draco? Draco?” Theo finally turned around and realized Draco wasn’t sitting next to him. “Mayday! Mayday! Draco’s gone rogue! He’s going in!” Blaise kicked Theo to break him out of his increasingly panicked monologue. “Right. Sorry. Thanks.”

“He’s got this. We’ll get all the details out of him later.”

“Right. Good call. Okay! Let’s order drinks then! I’m parched!” 

 

Draco could feel the cold sweat on his palms. He had gotten sick of Theo and was immediately regretting his decision to get away from their chatter, particularly since with each step he grew more worried that he couldn’t comfortably seek refuge with Hermione. With as much grace and poise as he could muster, Draco dropped himself into the armchair next to her.

“Fancy seeing you here, Hermione.” She slowly lowered the paper and looked at Draco with wide eyes. 

“You? Malfoy? What are you doing here?” She looked confused, but not entirely unhappy to see him. 

“My friends have dragged me out here on a road trip. I didn’t know what that was until this morning and I can’t say I was enjoying it until now.” Was this flirting? Merlin, he was bad at it. 

“Are you telling me that you, Draco Malfoy, arrived here in a muggle car driven by one of your mad Slytherin friends?” Hermione put down her paper, folding it neatly and placing it on the couch next to her. She looked skeptically at him and he felt his composure begin to leave him under her gaze. He shifted involuntarily, clearing his throat to cover his nerves.

“Right in one, Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor. We’re only here for one night though. Theo failed to tell us exactly how long it would take to reach the house he rented Saint-Tropez so we’re here as a halfway point.” She laughed and Draco’s heart soared with the sound. 

“Of course you would choose somewhere are decadent as this as a rest stop.” Her tone was gently teasing and Draco found himself smiling along with her.

“To be fair, I didn’t choose it. Theo’s on a James Bond kick and at the moment we’re at his mercy.”

“Theo sounds like quite the muggle-phile.”

“You could say that.” Draco cleared his throat again. “So, what brings you here?”

“Oh, I was.. uhh... invited.” She looked embarrassed. “Actually, I’m supposed to be meeting someone here for drinks.” Draco’s heart sank. All of these intense emotional highs and lows were getting exhausting. After this he might actually need those days on the seaside simply to let his poor heart recover from the rollercoaster.

“You came all the way to Paris for drinks?” He tried to sound gently teasing the way she had and desperately hoped it didn’t sound as strained as he felt saying it. Pretending to be cool and casual was so difficult around Hermione.

“Not exactly. I’ve been traveling for a while now. Harry and I got into a bit of an argument a couple of weeks ago and work offered me some assignments in the field. It felt like the right time to take it and give Harry some time to cool off.”

“Everything okay?”

“Malfoy, I didn’t know you cared,” she teased. He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.

“I’m sure there’s a lot you could learn about me, Ms. Granger.” Silence fell between them. He tried to communicate the depth of his intention and she remained inscrutable. They both simply sat looking at each other until a shuffling step and a concerned voice interrupted them. 

“Herm-Own-Ninny? Ve can have a drink now, I am thinking. You were not vaiting long?” Viktor Krum had arrived and was glaring down at Draco.

“No, not long!” Hermione jumped up and spoke quickly. Her voice was a little more high pitched than usual, but Draco didn’t have enough of a frame of reference to be sure. “Malfoy was just leaving. Thank you for keeping me company!” She waved him away and maneuvered Krum to the bar to get drinks. Draco stood as they left, the conversation still feeling unfinished. Hermione pointedly avoided making eye contact with him, and after watching their backs at the bar for a few moments Draco made his way back to Blaise and Theo.

“I’m heading to bed. This one’s my room key? And the number is in this folder? Great. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Theo and Blaise tried to call after him as he left, but he ignored them. He glanced back once to the bar where Hermione and Krum were now sitting. He thought he caught her eye, but then she looked away and pretended she hadn’t seen him. Somehow that felt worse than being ignored. He felt like a stain. Something dirty she couldn’t bear to be associated with but couldn’t ignore.

Draco’s room was luxurious and had a lovely view, but talking to Hermione had depressed him further. When it was just the two of them conversation had flowed so freely and comfortably. With other people around he was forced to face the reality that he was a pariah. He lay face down on the fully made bed and didn’t move when Theo and Blaise arrived and opened his unlocked door. They tried to talk to him, but he just groaned. Eventually they decided to leave him alone for the night and enjoy the rest of their evening with dinner on the terrace. Draco declined their invitation to join them, opting instead to wallow pathetically in his own self-deprecating misery. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! Thank you all for joining me on this adventure. Your comments and kudos fed my inspiration and I'm excited to post with less of a lag between chapters. Sometimes I feel like there are things that come easily to other people that I have to work really hard at to do well - writing and singing are two of those things. I am a much better writer than a singer though. This might have something to do with my total inability to remember song lyrics though. 
> 
> Anyway! Thank you all for being so lovely and supportive. I hope you realize how important and valued your comments are. They really do fuel the writing process <3
> 
> If you are interested in seeing pictures of the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, most of this chapter is based in Le Bar and there are pictures at this link: https://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/paris/hotel-plaza-athenee/restaurants-bars/le-bar/
> 
> I have not had the luxury of visiting this place. Maybe one day!
> 
> Enjoy!  
> -Cila


	5. Paris, The City of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...

###  5

Draco ignored the small knock on the door of his suite. After spending a day in a car with Blaise and Theo, he was more than happy to sit alone with his thoughts. The second knock, however, piqued his curiosity. Blaise and Theo weren’t the sort to knock and it hadn’t been long enough since they had left for dinner for them be back. He stood and straightened out his shirt in the mirror before opening the door. 

“Oh! Hermione! Hello!” The words echoed in his mind for a moment. He might have said that too loudly. 

“Hey, I saw your friends downstairs and they said you weren’t feeling well. I just thought…” she trailed off, looking suddenly shy. “I just thought I’d come say goodbye before I left.”

“Oh! Would you like to come in?” The luxury of the room had revitalized something in Draco he didn’t realize he’d lost. He stepped aside with a small bow to invite her over the threshold. Channeling the grace he had been raised to embody was easy when your surroundings were so palatial. She acquiesced, looking a little uncomfortable and embarrassed. She arranged her skirt nervously and pulled on one of her curls as if straightening herself out would make her feel more at home.

“Thank you.” 

“Would you like to sit? I can get you a cup of tea if you like.” He waved his wand and steam started streaming from the teapot on the coffee table. She nodded and accepted the teacup he offered her, taking refuge in the warmth of the cup and the opportunity to hide behind small sips.

“You seem to be feeling a bit better.”

“I am. The drive exhausted me, but I have had some time to rest and am feeling much better.” Unasked questions hung in the air. Draco had managed to keep his hand from shaking as he poured her tea, but surely she could hear the intense beating of his heart. It felt ready to burst from his chest. He cleared his throat to cover the silence. “Did you have a pleasant time with Krum? I was not aware you were seeing him.” He tried to sound politely disinterested and couldn’t tell if it worked.

“I’m not!” She said quickly. “I mean, it was nice to catch up with an old friend. So much has changed since Hogwarts…” She looked at him and smiled. The clock ticked the seconds away. Draco resisted the temptation to push further. He was dying to know why Krum would want to meet her here of all places. Was he showing off his wealth or fame? Was she falling for it? Would she fall for Draco if he tried it? It didn’t sound like she was about to elaborate, so he tried again.

“You haven’t been at the library in some time. I was getting worried about you.”

“Oh, that. I’m sorry. Harry and I had a row. I’ve been living with him since Ron and I split last year, but he keeps trying to meddle in my life and I needed to get away for a little while. I should have told you.”

“It’s alright. It was just the day after we… the day after you were kind enough to take me out. In truth, I am just relieved it wasn’t something I did or said.” She smiled again, looking both surprised and amused by his sincerity. “I still owe you for that, by the way.”

“You’re right! You do owe me! In that case, let’s go for a walk. You’re going to take me out for ice cream.” She jumped on the chance for a change of scenery quickly, her relief to be away from the sumptuous hotel palpable in her enthusiasm at the idea. 

“Ice cream?”

“Yes, I think that would be best.”

“Of course.” He stood and offered his arm to her out of habit, a motion he immediately regretted. His uncertainty as to how she would react to his attempt at chivalry faded when she leapt up and slipped her arm through his, mischief dancing in her eyes. He felt her touch like a jolt of electricity in his veins and he ached to lace his fingers through hers and pepper her freckled cheeks with soft kisses. Much to his own surprise, Draco managed to maintain his composure as they walked through the hall together and out the front door. 

 

“Maybe we should have gotten directions,” she whispered when they reached the river. The reflection of old street lamps in the Seine looked like fairy lights and Draco understood very clearly in that moment why Paris was called the city of love. Couples dotted the park around them, all far too involved in their own romance to notice the awkward pair of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy who, upon finding themselves here, were pointedly avoiding looking at each other. 

“Why don’t you tell me about your work?” She relaxed a fraction and tore her eyes away from a couple kissing under the soft glow of the street light above, blushing furiously. 

“I’m doing some research on magical creatures at the moment. The office got some leads on illegal breeding happening around Europe and there have been doxy infestations in a few older households that I’ve been sent to look into. Something is causing the creatures’ numbers to increase and I’m hoping that I can find out what it is.”

“Is that the research you’ve been doing all these months?”

“Sort of. Your library has the best collection of texts on magical and non-magical beings. I’m working on updating some information with a few publishers and drafting better regulations for dealing with different classes of creatures. Werewolves, for example, are human for all but a few nights every month. Fair treatment and human dignity is something I’m working on making sure they have protected with new laws.” Her eyes shone with passion and she was breathless from talking so quickly. Draco was swept up by her words. She was brilliant and he couldn’t believe his good fortune at being here with her. 

“You’re incredible.” The words were out before he could stop them.

“Thanks!” She smiled widely at him. “It’s nice to talk to someone about it who seems interested. Harry and Ron don’t always understand.”

“They don’t know what they’re missing.” She looked away from him and they started walking through the park, arms still linked. 

“So, what are you working on every day in the library?” 

“You’ve noticed me there?” He nudged her playfully.

“Of course I have. Your hair makes you really hard to miss.” Draco wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“Research,” he answered a little more defensively than he intended. 

“On what?” 

“On everything, I guess. Family history, world history… In the past few years I have noticed certain… gaps… in my education that I am trying to address.”

“Gaps? Hogwarts wasn’t enough?”

“More like before Hogwarts. And after. Until recently most of my life was controlled by others and I did not have the opportunity to explore my own interests.”

The longer they talked the more they both relaxed. Despite still being hyper aware of every point of contact between his and Hermione’s bodies as they walked, Draco managed to ease his stiff posture and enjoy their conversation. Out of the hotel and away from the prying eyes of his friends, he and Hermione had fallen back into the comfortable rhythm and easy back and forth that they had found that day in the pub. Their conversation was gently teasing, playful, and serious in turns. Once, Hermione broke the contact and unlinked her arm from his to gesture wildly as she tried to explain some of the methods she’d had to use to persuade the illegal breeders that she had the power to arrest them if they didn’t do as she asked. Draco had only a brief moment to mourn the loss of her touch when she surprised him by slipping her hand into his. He was terrified that drawing attention to it would ruin the moment and make her pull away, so he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and tried to pretend it was the most ordinary thing in the world for him to be holding Hermione Granger’s hand.

 

It was so comfortable walking with her. Draco kept stealing glances at their interlocked hands, marveling at the contrast of her soft brown skin against the palor of his own. Talking with her felt so open and free. With Blaise and Theo he felt appreciated, but never as well understood as he did with Hermione. In the hour they spent just walking through the park along the river Seine Draco had shared more of his own thoughts and fears with Hermione than he had ever felt safe enough to share before. And she had responded in kind, only falling silent briefly when she came close to telling him why she and Harry had argued. 

Draco secretly reveled in the awkwardness she admitted she felt around Viktor Krum, who despite now being a famous quidditch coach still couldn’t get the woman of his dreams to see him as anything but a friend. 

Hermione seemed genuinely interested in his own research into wizard and muggle relations, asking questions that Draco himself could recall asking as he began his studies as well as questions he couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered yet. At some point he had to pause to write down something she said so that he could read up on it later and she laughed in pure, innocent delight.

 

Sweet, happy silence fell between them as a boat passed and they watched it cut through the reflected moonlight on the water. 

“Hermione?”

“Hmm?”

“What are we doing?”

“I thought it was obvious.”

“I’ve been barely skirting the fringes wizarding society for long enough that I am not sure how much I trust my definition of ‘obvious.’” She paused, looking thoughtful.

“We’re getting to know each other.”

“But why? Why me?” They stopped their slow meander through the park and she looked up into his eyes. He felt his heart skip a beat and his face shone with a mixture of hope and apprehension. She turned so they were face to face and took his free hand in hers. 

“I feel like you see me for who I am,” she said simply. Her warm smile and her hands in his melted whatever might have been left of Draco’s resolve. In one fluid motion he closed the distance between them and kissed her. The soft contact of their lips was everything he had dreamed and more. She was kissing him back and nothing else in the world mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends!
> 
> We're here! It happened! Depressed!Draco is over! Huzzah! It was kind of fun to write, but finally putting in a kiss was a relief. 
> 
> Thank you again for the thoughtful comments and kudos! I can't stress enough how much those help motivate me to keep going and give you the best chapters I can (as quickly as possible)!
> 
> Love always,  
> Cila
> 
> P.S. If anyone feels like they might want chapters earlier I could really use a beta or someone to bother me to write more. Ping me on tumblr? cakescavenger.tumblr.com (It's mostly just fashion reblogs, but generally a pretty decent way to get in touch with me directly.)


	6. The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost a decade after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has built a library in Diagon Alley as part of his personal penance to the wizarding world... and to Hermione. If only she knew...

###  6

Sunlight danced on Draco’s face and he groaned as he pulled the satin sheets higher to cover his eyes. He had dreamed of kissing Hermione Granger in Paris and if he could only get back to sleep, he could get back to it. Suddenly, he sat bolt upright as the reality of last night struck him. He _had_ kissed Hermione. Once under the streetlights along the river, and once more at the door of her hotel where they bid each other goodnight. Before closing her door she had given him a slip of paper with numbers written on it in her distinctive neat script and had laughed at his confusion, suggesting Theo might explain what to do with it. Draco was left then to slowly walk back to his suite with only his thoughts for company.

He’d wanted to invite her to stay with him, but she had an early meeting at the embassy to discuss trafficking of magical creatures and illicit potion ingredients. Shyness had gotten the better of him and instead he had kissed her deeply and asked her to dinner as soon as she was back in London. “Soon,” she’d promised. “Only two more weeks of work abroad and then it’s back home to London.” His heart was thrumming with the new world of possibilities opening up before him.

The door to Draco’s suite burst open with a crash and Theo and Blaise barrelled through it. They pounced on him and within seconds had wrapped him so tightly in the satin sheets that his arms were pinned to his sides and all he could do was glare at his friends.

“Where’d you go last night?” If looks could kill, Draco would have reduced Blaise into a pile of ash for his teasing singsong.

“I’m betting he was out with a certain witch, Blaise.” With Draco unable to move, Theo had taken to wandering around the room and shuffling through the pockets of all Draco’s robes in the closet. As he spoke, his fingers closed on a piece of paper that made his eyes go wide when he read it. Draco struggled to free himself to take the paper from him, but his efforts were in vain. “This is a phone number.”

“No need to sound so surprised,” Draco said, feeling a little wounded.

“She gave you her phone number,” Theo was incredulous and kept looking between mummy Draco and the number in his hands.

“What’s it mean?” Blaise asked.

“It means she wants him  to call her.”

“Call her?” Draco was confused.

“You don’t know what this is for?” Theo couldn’t quite believe what was happening. “She gave you this and didn’t explain it? She thinks you understand muggle technology?”

“No,” Draco mumbled. “She told me to ask you what to do with it.”

“Moi?” Theo puffed out his chest in pride.

“I’ll tell you everything if you let me get out of bed.” Blaise jumped up and in one quick motion, he grabbed the end of the sheet and pulled. Draco tumbled gracelessly onto the floor and made a show of picking himself up and straightening out his pyjamas. Theo and Blaise tried to settle themselves down to hear a story, but Draco was graciously ushering them out of the room and had them on the other side of the locked door before they realized it and could think to protest.

“Draco Malfoy! That was bad form!” Theo yelled through the door.

“I said I’d tell you, but I didn’t say when,” Draco called back. “You’ll get the whole story when I’m on the beach with a drink in my hand and not a moment sooner.”

“Bastard,” Blaise grumbled. He and Theo looked at each other and shrugged. The whole point of this trip was to cheer Draco up and whether it was their doing or other forces acting on him, Draco was already acting more like his old self than he had in years. If he wanted to wait another few hours to tell them a story then they would wait.

***

Theo’s magical car dramatically shortened a trip to Saint-Tropez that would have taken a muggle 8 hours.

“Same spells as the Knight Bus,” Theo explained as they zoomed along the highway. Blaise normally would have complained about the needlessly long journey to Paris the day before, but he was too busy trying to avoid any topic that might dampen Draco’s good mood. Draco, for his part, was distracted by his own thoughts and just stared out the window watching the world go by with a small smile tugging at his lips. Theo remained focused on the road, his over-the-top Bond act forgotten as, in a twist of irony, he started behaving more like the hero in his single-minded determination to get them to the seaside quickly.

Theo had to slow down as they approached the house that sat at the end of a long, private road, but he and Blaise wasted no time at all in forcing Draco out of the car and into a pair of swimming trunks once the car was parked in the driveway. They briefly conferred and ultimately decided against using _Levicorpus_ to speed up settling Draco into a beach chair, opting instead to _Accio_ everything from the car while they each took one of Draco’s arms and marched him to the private beach. Chairs, blankets, and a grill arrived seconds later, and within minutes Draco was sipping a cocktail with a lazily spinning umbrella set jauntily into it. Blaise cast sun-protection spells on all three of them and Theo milled around pretending to look for a good spot for his beach towel in an effort to avoid appearing too eager to hear Draco’s story.

“So aren’t you going to tell us what happened that has you smiling like an idiot?” Blaise was not known for his patience or his tact.

“I suppose. Now that we’re here.” At Draco’s words, Theo stopped dancing around and immediately stretched his towel at Draco’s feet. A quick _Engorgio_ grew the towel into more of a blanket and Blaise flipped himself onto it next to Theo. Draco looked pleased at the attention, but he always had liked that kind of thing. “Before I tell you anything you have to promise me that you won’t meddle and you won’t say anything to anyone. I don’t know where this is going and the only reason you’re hearing about it at all is because you were there and I’m just filling in details so you don’t get carried away with whatever you’ve already started imagining.”

“Fine. We agree. Just tell us already!”

“We agree,” Theo confirmed, shooting a warning look at Blaise. If Blaise’s impatience cost them this juicy story, Theo was going to be very upset about it. Draco wasn’t ever this happy. They’d been trying to cheer him up for years, but the walls he built around himself to keep any possible joy from affecting his penitent attitude had been too difficult to break down. If she could do it, then maybe there was hope for Draco yet!

“As you may have realized, the person you’ve both been pestering me about happened to be meeting a friend for a drink at our hotel.”

“Granger?” Theo punched Blaise in the arm for interrupting. Draco ignored them and continued.

“We have… coexisted… comfortably together at my library for the past few months and went out to lunch three weeks ago after our evening out at the muggle bar.”

“You went to lunch with her and didn’t tell us!?” This time Theo interrupted, sounding something between wounded and proud of his friend for keeping the secret for so long.

“I wasn’t sure it meant anything. She disappeared after that.”

“What did you do wrong?” Blaise couldn’t help himself, but Draco was enjoying this retelling immensely and appreciated his rapt audience.

“Nothing, as it turns out. She’s been abroad for work this whole time. I thought she was seeing Krum when I saw him, but being an international quidditch coach doesn’t impress Hermione Granger as much as he might hope.” Draco paused for dramatic effect. The sun was warm, and the gently lapping waves filled the momentary silence. Draco had grown out of the cockiness that defined his youth, but he still couldn’t resist an opportunity to puff his chest out a little if the situation warranted it. “She came to my door after he left and we went out for a walk along the river.”

“Tell me more, tell me more!” Theo giggled at his own joke, not seeming to mind at all that his friends didn’t get his reference.

“Well, we talked a lot. And there was a kiss.” Blaise and Theo threw their wands up and gold sparks shot into the air.

“Excellent!” Theo beamed. “How long has it been?”

“Longer than I care to admit.”

“So, Hogwarts?”

“Shut up, Blaise.” Theo playfully tossed sand onto Blaise’s side of the enlarged towel.

“What? You asked first!”

“Do you want to hear the end of the story or not?”

“Yes!” Theo and Blaise replied in unison.

“I took her to her door and promised to take her out to dinner in London when she finishes her travels. And we kissed again.” Draco smiled, but Blaise looked almost disappointed.

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? Draco just got kissed twice by a girl way out of his league - no offense, mate - and you want to know if that’s it? Blaise, you need your head examined.” Blaise opened his mouth to defend himself, but thought better of it and closed it again.

“So what’s next then?”

“He already said dinner in two weeks.”

“I meant, is there an end goal here? This is clearly a big deal for Draco, but we don’t know where she lands in this. Wasn’t she with Weasley forever?”

“He’ll figure it out. Won’t you Draco?” Draco nodded slowly. He looked a little deflated. “Blaise, stop meddling.” Blaise threw up his hands in apology and mumbled something about going for a walk on the beach. Theo turned back to Draco. “Don’t worry about it, mate. You enjoy this thing… whatever it is. Blaise is just trying to help.”

“He’s right though,” Draco said sadly. “Why would she want me?”

“Stop it. We’re on vacation and you’re not allowed to wallow in self-pity. If you’re so worried about it, you should call her.”

“Call her?”

“Yeah, that’s what the phone number is for. So you can call her and talk to her.”

“Phone?”

“Merlin’s beard, Draco! It’s about time you and I spent some quality time talking about muggle technology. This is going to make everything better!”

***

A week later Blaise’s skin had darkened considerably, Theo was sporting more freckles than he’d had when they arrived, and Draco had learned how to play Tetris. Theo had successfully taught him how to use the phone they bought in town, but both were hopelessly confused when it came to call etiquette. Since Draco refused to call without knowing how to do it the right way, he was mostly just using the phone to play games on the beach.

        “You have to call her though. She wants you to call her.”

        “I don’t want to mess it up.”

        “The only way you can get it wrong is to not do it. She knows you’re not an expert on muggles. It will be fine.”

        “If it’s not, I’m going to blame you.”

        “Sure. If that makes you feel better, blame me.”

        “I want no part of this,” Blaise added, feeling left out.

        “I’ll call her tomorrow. I need to write down what I’m going to say.”

Theo and Draco spent the rest of the day practicing how to make phone calls on their cell phones. Theo stayed on the beach with Blaise while Draco called him and tried out some of his scripts from the house’s balcony. Some hours later, Draco joined his friends to watch the sun set over the house. He was feeling much more relaxed and ready to take on this new muggle contraption if she wanted him to. He still didn’t know if he was doing it right, but he felt better after using it to talk to Theo. Blaise, feeling a little abandoned, brought out some brooms he’d brought along and they flew around the beach as dusk turned to darkness, laughing and tossing around a quaffle over the waves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dears! Thank you for your patience! Also the biggest THANK YOU to closer2monkey who is a wonderful beta. Without her, this chapter would have been more confusing... and may not have actually been posted for another couple of weeks. Three cheers for closer2monkey!
> 
> Your comments and kudos fuel this story. Thank you for joining me on this adventure <3  
> -Cila


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